Dispenser for viscous materials



Dec. 24, 1968 s. MlRKA 3,417,902

DISPENSER FOR VISCOUS MATERIALS 70 BY 5260 64 Z 58 A oRNEY Dec. 24, 1968s. MIRKA 3,417,902

DISPENSER FOR VISCOUS MATERIALS Filed Sept. ll, 1967 2 Sheets- Sheet 2xmm IllllIl 4120 /5 3 a@ zg 30 73 54 7&9

mvENToR STEVE MIRKA ATTORNEY United States Patent Ofce 3,417,902Patented Dec. 24, 1968 3,417,902 DISPENSER FOR VISCOUS MATERIALS SteveMirka, 9908 Beaverland, Detroit, Mich. 48239 Filed Sept. 11, 1967, Ser.No. 666,908 Claims. (Cl. 222-96) ABSTRACT OF THE DISCLOSURE A dispenserfor extracting in pre-selected quantities viscous materials packaged incollapsible containers.

Background of the invention This invention relates to dispensersgenerally, and more particularly to a dispenser of the type suitable foruse in removing toothpaste and other materials of similar consistencyfrom collapsible tubes. Most toothpaste dispensers now in use are unableto deliver repetitiously uniform amounts of paste from the tube.

|Furthermore, such dispensers cannot positively intererupt the flow ofpaste from the tube after each extraction, so as to prevent a needlesswaste of the contents. Dispensers for toothpaste also rarely provide apositive means for sealing the tube during non-use; thus permitting thepaste to harden so as to impair operating eiciency of the dispenser andeventually render it completely inoperative.

Summary of the invention This invention comprises a mountable case forsupporting therein a collapsible container. A slidable bar gear in thecase operated by a cam, drives a roller which squeezes the collapsiblecontainer and forces the contents into a discharge port. A spring loadedvalve, controlling the discharge port, is operated by a lever whichdrives the cam, so that the valve is opened as the container is beingsqueezed. When the lever is released', the deforming force of the rolleron the collapsible container is thereby relieved, and the spring loadedvalve yautomatically closes the discharge port.

Brief description of the drawing FIGURE l is a section view showingstructural details of the applicants dispenser with the operator bar 36in its elevated position.

FIGURE 2 is a fragmentary section view, taken substantially on plane 2-2in FIGURE l, showing the U shaped lever 78 and the cam 74 on therotatable shaft 76.

FIGURE 3 is a section view, taken substantially on plane 3-3 in FIGUREl, showing the pivoted connectors 46 attaching the operator bar 36 tothe bar gear 44.

FIGURE 4 is ya section view, similar to yFIGURE l, showing the operatorbar 36 in its lowered position.

FIGURE 5 is a front elevation view showing the U shaped lever 78 vandthe two mounting anges 16 on the case 10.

FIGURE 6 is a section view, taken substantially on plane `6--6 in FIGURE4, showing the retractor 30 on the plunger 26.

For a more detailed description of the invention, reference is made tothe drawing in which numeral 10 designates a case having a hinged cover12 secured thereto by a spring loaded hand screw 14. A mounting ange 16on the top Vand bottom edges of the case 10, has spaced openings 18therein -for the reception of fasteners, not here shown. A threadedrecess 20 in the bottom of the case 10 communicates with a dischargeport 22.

A valve in the bottom of the case 10 comprises a transverse cylindricalchamber 24 containing a plunger 26 yieldably held over the dischargeport 22 by a coil spring 28. A retractor 30 is attached to the plunger26 by a pin 32 which is slidable in a slot 34 provided in the bottom ofthe case 10. An upright operator bar 36, having on the top thereof aninwardly projecting seat 38, is slidably engaged in slots 40 in eachside of the case 10, which provide upper land lower travel limits forthe operator bar 36.

A resilient member 42, seated in the bottom of the case 10, yieldablyholds the operator bar 36 in its raised position. A bar gear 44,yadjacent the operator bar 36, is movyably attached thereto by pivotedconnectors 46 supported at each end on a pintle 48. A spring member 50around the lower pintles 48 is so disposed as yieldably to urge the bargear 44 away from the operator bar 36. Teeth 52 on the outer face of thebar gear 44 are provided with a downward rake.

A transverse roller S4 has a central pintle 56 slidably retained invertical slots 58 in each side of the case 10. Teeth 60 on the roller 54are so inclined as to have a rake oppositely disposed to that of theteeth 52 on the bar gear 44 with which they engage. An upright lockingbar 62, adjacent each side of the bar .gear 44, is conned for limitedlateral movement in vertical slots 64 in each side of the case 10. Teeth66 on the locking bars 62, have a downward rake matching that of theteeth 52 on the bar gear 44.

Resilient -members 68 in the vertical slots 64, yieldably hold the teeth66 on the locking ba-rs 62 in engagement with the teeth 60 on the roller54. A pair of upright tracks 70, fixed in each side of the case 10adjacent the cover 12, have teeth 72 with an upward rake engaged withthe teeth on the roller 54. A `cam 74 bearing on the seat 38, is fixedon a transverse rotatable shaft 76, extending through both sides of thecase 10. A U shaped lever 78 has a pai-r ol arms 80 attached to the endsof the transverse rotatable shaft 76 by set screws 82.

A cavity 84 is provided in the lower end of the U shaped lever 78 forreception of a tooth brush 86, -as shown in FIGURES l and 4 of thedrawing. The preced ing discussion completes a description of thestructura details of the -applicants invention; however, to compre hendmore fully the subject matter herein presented, z discussion is nextdirected tothe manner in which the dis penser is used and operated toperform its intended func tion.

Use and operation In practice, the dispenser may be mounted on a wal orother fixed support, either by fasteners inserted througl the openings18 in the mounting anges 16, or by the us of a suitable adhesive appliedto the case 10. The dis penser is prepared for operation by retractingthe liant screw 14 and pivoting the cover 12 to the broken lin positionshown in FIGURE l, so as to open the case 1( The bar gear 44 and lockingbars 62 are then pushed ot -of contact with the roller 54 so that thelatter may be ele vated to the broken line position shown in FIGURE l Acollapsible container, such as the toothpaste tube 9i is then introducedinto the case 10, and the discharge nec thereon secured in the threadedrecess 20. The roller 54 next lowered into contact with the tube 92, andthe cove 12 returned to its closed position on the case 10. A tootlbrush 86 is then placed in the cavity '84 of the lever 78, z shown inFIGURE l, and a push of suicient magnituc rapplied to move the lever 78rearwardly.

The lever 78 thereupon swings into contact with tl retractor 30, whichis shifted to the position shown FIGURE 4. This movement of theretractor 30 slides tl plunger 26 back in the cylindrical'chamber 24, asshov in FIGURE 4. A partial vacuum is thus created in tl cylindricalchamber 24 thereby implementing the ow I toothpaste from the tube 92into the space vacated by tl plunger 26.

When the lever 78 moves to its rear position, it also pivots the cam 74which forces the operator bar 36 and bar gear 44 to their loweredpositions, as shown in FIG- URE 4. The roller 54 is thus drivencounter-clockwise, as viewed in FIGURES l and 4, by the bar gear 44,which causes it to travel downward on the tracks 70 and exert adeforming force on the collapsible tube 92. Internal pressure is therebyproduced in the tube 92, which forces toothpaste into the cylindricalchamber 24 when the plunger 26 is retracted.

When the push on the toothbrush 86 is released, the compressed resilientmember 42 forces the operator bar 36 upward to the position shown inFIGURE 1. The pivoted connectors 46 thereupon assume the -full linepositions shown in FIGURE l, which retracts the bar gear 44 anddisengages its teeth 52 from the teeth 60 on the roller 54. Thisdisengagement permits the spring member 50 to elevate the bar gear 44whereupon it again automatically engages the roller 54.

Upward travel of the roller 54 is prevented by the locking bars 62 whichhold it in a squeezing engagement with the collapsible tube 92. As theoperator bar 36 returns to its raised position, it pivots the cam 74 androtatable shaft 76 which swings the lever 78 forward. As the lever 78returns to its front position, the coil spring 28 moves the plunger 26so as to force the preselected charge of toothpaste in the transversecylindrical chamber 26 through the discharge port 22.

Thus as the brush 86 is drawn across the discharge port 22, the chargeof toothpaste is deposited on the bristles of the brush 86. The plunger26 automatically closes the discharge port 22, as shown in FIGURE l,before the brush 86 is fully withdrawn, thereby preventing anytoothpaste from being wasted. This cycle of operation is repeated untilthe roller 54 has reached the broken line position 98 in FIGURE 4, wherethe contents of the tube 92 will have -been depleted. The fullycollapsed tube 92 is then removed and replaced with a full tube in themanner previously described for placing the dispenser in operation.

Based upon the foregoing discussion, the applicant is of the opinionthat his invention has fulfilled a long-felt need in the field ofdispensers, and that he has accordingly made a valuable contribution tothe related art. However, while the invention was described withreference to the structure details of a single embodiment, it will beappreciated by those familiar with the art that the principles involvedare susceptible of numerous other practical adaptations.

I therefore claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent:

1. A dispenser for extracting materials from collapsible containershaving a discharge neck, such dispenser -comprising a case, an uprightoperator bar slidably ymounted in the case, such operator bar having araised and a lowered position, resilient means yieldably holding theoperator bar in its raised position, a bar gear in the case disposedparallel to the operator bar, such bar gear also having a raised and alowered position, transverse teeth on the bar gear having a downwardrake, pivoted connectors attaching the operator bar to the bar gear, aroller in the case adapted for vertical travel, transverse teeth on theroller engageable with the teeth on the bar gear, such teeth on theroller being so inclined as to present a rake oppositely disposed tothat of the teeth on the bar gear with which they engage, resilientmeans yieldably holding the bar gear in engagement with the roller, atleast one upright laterally movable locking bar adjacent the bar gearhaving teeth thereon with a downward rake, resilient means yieldablyholding the locking bars in engagement with the roller, cam means forsimultaneously driving the operator bar and the bar gear to theirlowered positions, lever means pivotally supported by the case foroperating the cam means, such lever means having a front and a rearposition, holding means in the case for receiving the discharge neck ofthe collapsible container, a discharge port in the holding meansproviding communication with the interior of the `collapsible container,and a valve controlling the discharge port, such valve being actuated bythe lever means when the latter is moved to its rear position so as tooperate the cam and drive the roller downward to collapse the container.

2. The dispenser of claim 1 having in addition thereto; a pair of spacedupright tracks n the case, and teeth on the tracks having an upward rakeengaged with the teeth on the roller so as to prevent any lateralmovement of the' roller away from the bar gear.

3. The dispenser of claim 1 in which the valve controlling the dischargeport comprises a plunger, a resilient member yieldably holding theplunger over the discharge port, and a retractor on the plunger forengagement with the lever means when the latter is moved to its rearposition so as to shift the plunger and open the discharge port.

4. The dispenser of claim 3 in which the lever means for operating thecam means comprises a rotatable shaft in the case extending through thesides thereof, and a U shaped member attached to both ends of therotatable shaft.

5. The dispenser of clai-m 4 in which the cam means comprises a cammounted on the rotatable shaft.

References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 2,715,979 8/ 1955 Leonard 222-1012,742,189 4/ 1956 Morrison Z22-505 X 2,837,243 6/ 1958 Zebnik 222-1013,347,288 10/ 1967 Rutherford 141-362 ROBERT B. REEVES, PrimaryExaminer.

NORMAN L. STACK, Assistant Examiner.

U.S. C1. X.R. 141-362; 222-101

